***
“My mom always told me to turn a negative into a positive—that’s why I
started ChubbiLine,” says Egypt “Ify” Ufele, the designer who was
inspired to create a clothing brand for people of all shapes and sizes
after being teased for her weight. “I was verbally and physically
bullied and knew that being creative was my comfort zone, so I used it
to my advantage.”

Having learned to sew from her grandmother starting at age 3, Ify’s
first foray into fashion was making dresses and skirts for her dolls. At
age 5, she was proficient at using the sewing machine, and by the time
she was 9, she was creating wearable pieces for her mom and sister. “I
was making them things like dresses and pants,” says Ify. “But when I
couldn’t find clothes that were my size in stores I started making
things for myself as well.”

Since then, the young visionary has
honed a design aesthetic that she describes as colorful and urban with
the occasional vintage influence. “I really like the fashion of the
60’s, so a lot of my clothes are inspired by that,” says Ify. “I like
the flared sleeves and A-line skirts from that era.” The most notable
signature of her brand, however, is undoubtedly the vibrant African
fabrics that are heavily integrated into her line and serve as an homage
to Ify’s cultural roots. “My father is Nigerian, so it’s important to
me to show my heritage in my clothing,” explains the sartorial whiz, who
visits the country twice a year and has her father ship textiles to
America when she needs them for new designs. “There are different
patterns that represent different tribes. We’re from the Igbo tribe, so I
use mostly those.”

Despite the fact that she was only 10
years old at the time, Ify was invited to show her vibrant line during
New York Fashion Week last spring — an opportunity that many experienced
fashion designers could only dream of. “There were a lot of people
there at my show!” she remembers excitedly. “When it ended and I stepped
onto the runway they were like, ‘A kid made that?’ They were very
impressed!”

Though she’s already achieved monumental
success for someone of her age, Ify is still dreaming bigger. “My goal
as a designer is to dress Sasha and Malia Obama one day — I love their
style,” she says. “But when I grow up, I want to be an architectural
engineer. I’m looking forward to that.” Seems like some people really
can do it all.

About the author

Oduntan Stephen is an India-Based Nigerian Guy, Born in Ogun State :)and the rightful Owner Of Gistsvilla.com. He is also a Pro Nigerian Blogger, Freelance Writer, Social Media Expert, Digital Marketer and Web designer.